Stop motion for knitting machines



Sept. 11, 1928.

F. CRAWFORD, SR

'STOP MOTION FOR KNITTING MACHINES Filed Dec. '7, 1925 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 Spt. 11, 1 28. 1,684,308

' F. CRAWFORD, SR

'STOP MOTION FOR KNITTING MACHINES Filed Dec. '7 1923 5 Sheets- Sheet 7 79 8 yZ-Tj;

I I I 65 1 70' 1 1 M 65 64 66 67 75 gs 75 j 1 Y hmr-fl 52 Sept. 11, 1928.

F. CRAWFORD, 5R

STOP MOTION FOR KNITTING MACHINES Filed Dec. 7, 1923 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 Sept. -1 1, 1928.

F. CRAWFORD, SR

STOP MOTION FOR KNiTTING mcnnms Filed Dec. 7, 1925 5 Sheets-Sheet 4 se t. 11, 1928.

1,684,308 F. CRAWFORD, SR 4 -STOP MOTION FOR KNiTTING MACHINES Filed Dec. v, 1923 5 she ts-sheet 5 Patented Sept. 11, 1928.

UNITED STATES I 1,684,308 T OFFICE.

FRANK GR WFORD, 53 H UN W K, EW JERSEY, A SIGNOR To T cglgwroan .manunacrrunme GQMPANY, or

.IPOBAI'IOIN OF NEW JERSEY.

NEW BBUNJSKVICK, NEW JERSEY, A GOR- STOP Mer -er r I$NITTING recl ims.-

Application filed December 7, 1923. Serial No. $79,185.

My invention relates to certain improve: ments in stop motions, which are actuated when a thread breaks,]o r when a thread 1s under abnormal tension, due to a knotin the thread, .or when a thread catches on a bQbbui.

The invention is especially adapted to machines for knitting stockings and other Webbing of this type.

The object of my invention s to mprove the Construction of the upper lower mechanisms of the stopxmotion. One of these mechanisms governs the stop motion when abnormal tension applied to a thread, and the other mechanism governs the stop motion when a thread I a the accompanying drawings Fig. 1 is a perspective iew illustrating my improved stop motion, a portron of the knitting machine being shown n dotted lines;

Fig, 2 is a plan view of the upper mech a--.

nism with the cover plate removed;

Fig. 3 is a sectional view ,on the line 3.7-3, s- 2;

Fig. 4 is a detached perspective view of a portionof Fig. 3

Fig. '5 is a plan View of the lower mechanism with the cover plate removed, illus: trating the mechanism in the tripped position; i

Fig.5.; i

Fig. 7 is an enlarged plan vlew'of the trap mechanism illustrated in Fig. 5 illustrating the mechanism in the ""set position Fig. 8 is a side v'ew of the mechanism illustrated in Fig. '7;

Fig. 9 is a sectional view on the l me '9-9, is- 8;

Fig. 10 is a side view of one .01 the lower thread guides;

Fig. 11 is a 11-11 Fig. 10.;

Fig. 12, is a plan view similar to Fig. 17, with the trip arm removed; e

Fig. 13, is a View similar to Fig. 112 with the parts released; v

Fig. 14, is a plan view of the disk; I Fig. 15, is a plan view of the segmental lever that controls the movement of the disk and V Fig. 16, is a plan view of the segmental armthat engages the segmental lever.

6 is a sectional view on the line 6+6,

sectional view on the line v p bracket 4, 1. Mounted on the portion '1 of the knitting machine a standard lower-stop motion.

Mounted on the standard'2 is a bracket 4 i having arms 5 on which the bobbins b are mounted. The yarn a from each bobbin is threaded, as clearly shown in 1..

The lower stop motion mechanism is located within a casing ,6 which is mounted on the standard 2.

Radiating from the casing is a series of arms 7, which carry at their outer ends,

thread guides 8, consisting of a fixed, shaped plate 9 slotted as shown, and a mQVr able trip plate 10 having fingers extending into the slots of the plate 9. The thread passes between the fingersand the plate and retains the trip plate 10 in position. Should a thread break, the movable trip plate is allowed to fall, actuating the lower mechanism in the casing 6. This particular thread guide is illustrated in an application for patient filed by me on the sixth day of December, 1923, Ser. N 0. 678,967.

Each trip plate 10- is mounted on a rod 11, carried by arm 7 and extends into the casing "6. The rods are bent at right angles to form arms 12 within the casing.

The of the casing 6 is recessed to re? ceive the upper end of the standard 2 and is eld in plac by a t s r w- The hub is also recessed to receive the de; pending portion .86 of a plate on which the trip mechanism is mounted. V

Entendingthrough the plate is a post 25. On the upper end .of t'he'post is Secured a disk 23, and secured to the lower end of a post is a shell '87 containing a coiled spring 88. One end of the spring is attached to the shell, and the other end is attached to the depending portion 86 of the plate 85. The spring imparts motion to themechanism' for stopping the machine when released.

The disk 28 is connected .by a link 28 to an arm 29, a shifter rod '30., which has its hearing in the casing 6 and in a lug 31 on the rod is an arm 32 connected'by a link 33 to a On the lower end of: the

. tothe plate 85, and held yieldingly in position by a spring 21, mounted on the pin 20.

On a downwardly projecting extension 19 the arm 19 is rotatably mounted a roller 22, which bears against a disk 23 having anotch 24 to receive the roller. The disk 13 has a se ries of notches in its periphery located direct. ly below the arms'12 of the rods 11, Fig. 5, so that if a rod is turned when a thread breaks, its arm will engage the disk 13 and will move it a distance to cause the disk to release the trip mechanism.

Pivoted at 36 on the plate 85 is a segmental arm 35, which is slotted at 37 and has a'notch 37 at one end of the slot. A segmental lever.- 38 is pivoted at 39 on the plate 85 and has a pin 37 a at its free end which extends into the slot 37 of the arm 35, as Clearly shown in Figs. 7 and 13. In the lever 38 is a slot 40, into which extends a pin 41, which projects from the disk 23. The segmental arm 35 has a hook 42 at its outer end, arranged to be engaged by a hook 43 on the short arm 44 of a latch 45. The latch 45 is pivoted at 46 to the plate 85. The long arm 47 of the latch 45 lies in the path of the pin 17 and is bent downward at its outer end to be engaged by a projecting in 48 on a trip spindle. 49. On the pivot o .the latch 45 is a spring 50 which bears against a fixed pin 51 and engages the latch 45, tending to holdthe hook 43 yieldingly in engagement with the hook 42. i j

A projection52 on the casing 6 forms a bearing for the trip spindle 49, Fig. 7. In order to locate the trip spindle properly in respect to the trip mechanism within the cas ing, a slidable beveled block 53 is provided,

which can bemoved into and out of contact with the portion 54 of the spindle.

When a stop motion is shipped from the. factory, the blockis raised and is secured in i the raised position so as to hold the arm 48 of the spindle in proper relation to the lever 45. The screw that holds the block in position is released and the block falls to the position shown in Fig.6. The trip spindle 49 is connected to a rod 55 leading from the upper mechanism shown in detail in Figs. 2, 3 and 4, the rod having an arm 56 within the easing 57. This arm is slotted, as shown in Fig. 2, and a pin 58 on a disk 59 extends into the slot so that, when the disk is moved, it op crates thelrod 55. The disk 59 is mounted on a spindle 60, which is located in a hollow 57, as shown clearly in Fig. 3. The end of the spindle rests on a screw 62, which can be adjusted to locate the disk properly in the casing. On the upper end of thestandard is a bracket 63, secured thereto by a set screw 64. On this bracket isa spring. plate having a portion that bears upon the center of the disk and prevents any vertical movement of the disk, yet allows it to turn freely.

' 'Depending from the periphery of the disk 59 is a flange 66, in which is a series of recesses 67 In the recesses'are located the arms 68', which are secured to the rods 69 that radiate from the casing under the arm 70. On the outer ends of these rodsare hooks 71, over which the threads pass from the lowerthread guides 8 to the perforated ring 72 on the standard 2*. The threads pass from this ring to the knitting machine.

' On the arms are fingers 73, which extend over the hooks 71. The outer ends of the hooksrest against the fingers, when in the raised position. Should excessive tension be exerted on the thread, then the hooks are drawn down and the arm 68, on the particular rod 67, turns the disk 59. This disk,

when turned, actuates the rod 55, causing the mechanism in the lower casing 6 to be tripped,

which stops the knittin machine. Means are provided tor adjusting the tension of the rods 69 individually. By having theindependent adjustments, the mechanism can be adjusted for yarn of diflerent weights. In some instances, light and heavy yarns are used in the same machine at the same time.

The arm 68,, in the present instance, is

made by twisting a wire into shape and securing it to a rod 69, as'shown in Figs. 3 and 4. The opposite end of the wire is'bent to form a second arm 74. At the end of the arm 74 is an eye, and engagingthe eye is a coiled spring 75. The opposite end of the spring is connected to a lever 6, pivoted at 77 to a bearing on a plate 78, secured to the casing The lever is made as shown clearly 1D 57. Fig. 4. Pivotally mounted on the lever is a nut 79 through which extends a screw 80. The screw extends through an opening in the bottom of the'casing 57 and has a head 81, lo-

cated outside of the casing. Between the casing and the nut 79 is .a spring 82. By turning the screw, the tension on the rod, to which it is connected, can be regulated.

The operation is as follows: The yarn from the bobbins is threaded through the lower thread guides 8', then over the hooks 7101' the V upper mechanism and through the ring 72 to the knitting machine. hen the machine is set in motion, the thread passes freely through the guides of both sets. In event of one of the threads breaking the arm 10 which normally is held vertical by. that particular thread is released, causing the rod 11 attached thereto to be turned. Turning ofthe rod11 standard 61, secured to the base of the casing causes the arm 12thereon to engage the side of one of the recesses in the plate 13, causing subsequent movement of the plate 13 and the pin 17 thereoni-n a clockwise direction, as viewed in Fig. 7. The roller 22 on the arm 19 at this time is moved into the recess 24 in the disc 23 by means of the pin 17 engaging one side of the slot 18 in the arm 19. The said movement of the pin 17 causes the said pin to engage the latch 45, turning it on its pivot and releasing the hook 43 thereof from the hook 42 of the lever 35.

The normal tendency of the disc 23 is to turn in a counter-clockwise direction under the influence of the spring 88, such tendency 1 being restricted by the pin 37 normally occupying a position in the notch 37*, in the lever 35,, and the pin 41 on the disc 23 being held by the slot 40, of the lever 35. s

When the hook 43 of the latch 45 is released from the hook 42 of the lever the lever 35immediately swings on its ivot and the pin 37 rides out of the notch 3( 'and toward the opposite end of the slot 37, in the lever 35. v This movement of the pin 37* per mits the lever 38 to swing on its pivot and the pin 41, of the disc 23, to move in theslot 40-, of the lever 38, to the opposite end thereof, from its normal disc retaining position. The disc 23 moves in a counter'cloclnvise direction and through the link 28 and lever 29 turns the rod 30 in a clockwise direction, to actuate the stop motion of the knitting machine. The said rotation of the disc 23 causes the side wall of the recess 24 therein to engage the roller 22 and move the arm 19 in a counter-clockwise direction to the position illustrated in Fig. 5, the side of the slot 18 in said arm 19 engaging the pin 17 of the disc 13, thereby moving the said'disc 1-3 in a counter-clockwise direction. The disc 13, in movmg, engages the arms 12 and the rods 11 are rotated thereby to restore the thread engaging fingers 10 to their normal positions for reth-reading.

To reset the mechanism, the rod 30 is moved in a counter-clockwise direction and through the lever 29 and link 28 moves the disc 23 in a clockwise direction, the pins 41 moves in the slot 40 restoring the lever 38 to its normal position, the pin 37 'thereon moving within the slot 37 into the notch 37 in the lever 35, thereby restoring the hook 42 of said lever 35 in locked engagement with the hook 43 of the latch 45.

When the disc 23 moves as above described, to reset the mechanism, the recess 24 therein moves into alignment with the roller 22011 the lever 19 in order to permit subsequent tripping of the ,mechanism when another thread breaks.

If a thread should be caught, or excessive tension be applied to the thread, then the hooks 71 are drawn down. This movement causes the disk 59 to be turned, which imparts motions to the vertical shaft 55 that connects the two stop motions. An arm on the lower end of this shaft trips the lower stop mechanism, which stops the machine through the rod 30, as above described.

Thus, it will be seen that the upper and lower stop motions act uponthe trip mecha nisin, which releases the stop mechanism that controls the mechanism that stops the knitting machine. Adjusting means for varying the tension on each arm of the upper stop motion enables the operatorto use yarns of different weights.

I claim:

1. The combination in a stop motion, of a casing,- armsradiaiting from the casing; a rod carried by each arm, each rod having a finger at the outer end over which the thread passes-,- an arm at the inner end of each rod; trip mechanism common to all of the rods and adapted to'be directly operated each rod; a slotted disk arranged to'be turned by the said arm when a thread is under excessive tension; a second-arm on each rod; {a spring attached to said arms; a lever secured to the opposite end of the spring and pivoted to the casing; and means for adjust ing the lever to regulate the tension on the rod.

3. The combination a stop motion, of a casing; a series of arms on the casing; a rod mounted on each arm and having finger at its outer end; an arm on the inner end of each rod; a slotted disk arranged to be turned by the said arm when a thread is caught; a second arm on each rod; a spring attached to said arms; a lever secured to the opposite end of the spring and pivoted to the casing; a swiveled nut on the lever; a screw extending through the casing and through the nut; and a spring between the nut and the casing so that, on turning the screw, the lever can be usted to regulate the tension on the rod.

4. In combination with mechanism adapted to be tripped, to stop a knitting machine, a stop motion comprising a standard attached to said knitting machine; a lower casing on the upper end of said. standard; a second standard'detachably secured to the top of said lower casing; an upper casing secured to the upper end of said second standard; a series of thread guides on said lower casing; a trip rod rotatably mounted in said lower casing and extending therefrom in a position substantially parallel to and spaced apart from said first standard; means in said lower casing including a latch operable by at its outer end an arm on the inner end of,

casing; an arm on said short spindle extending into said lower casing and adapted to engage said latch; actuating means in said upper casing adapted to be operated when a thread becomes abnormally taut; a trip spindle detachably and ope 'atively connect ing said short spindle with the upper casing actuating means, disposed in a position substantially parallel with and spaced apart from said'second standard; and means for operatively connecting said trip rod with the stop mechanism of theknitting machine.

5. The combination in a stop motion, adapted to be applied to a knitting machine, of supporting standards having upper and lower casingsattached thereto; actuating means in each casing; a trip rod controlled by the actuating means of the lower casing; a latch controlling said lower casing actuating means; a trip spindle controlled by the actuating means of the upper casing; a lever on said trip spindle adapted to engage said controlling latch in the lower casing and having a hub provided with a flat side; a wedged shaped block slidably mounted in .saidlower casing and adapted to be moved into engagement with said flat side of the hub; and means for maintaining said wedge block in either its hub engaging or disengaging position, for maintaining the elements of the stop motion'in their correct relative positions, when said stop motion is detached from a knitting machine.

6. The combination in a stop motion of a lower supporting standard; a lower casing on said lower standard; an upper standard detachably secured to said-lower casing; an upper casing on said upper standard; actuating means in said upper casing adapted to be operated when a thread becomes abnormally taut; actuating means in said lower casing adapted to be operated when a thread breaks and comprising a movable cam disk; a link pivoted to said cam disk; a trip rod spaced apart from said lower standard and having an arm pivotally attached to said link; a second movable disk operable by thread guides on said lower casing; a lever pivoted in said lower casing operatively connected to said second'dlsk; a roller on said lever adapted to be engaged by said cam disk; 7

a pin on said camdisk; a segmental lever pivoted in said lower casing and engaged by said pin; a pin on said segmental lever; 'a segmental arm pivoted in said'lower casing and engaged by said segmental lever pin;

7. The combination in a stop motion of a lower supportmg standard; a lower casing on said lower standard; a trip rod extending from saidlower casing, operatively connected to the stop mechanism of a knitting machine and spaced apart from the said lower standard; means in said lower casing adapted to be actuated by thread guides on said lower casing when a thread breaks, and thereby subsequently operatesaid trip rod; a controlling latch included in said lower casing actuating means; an upper supporting standard on said lower casing; an upper casing on said upper standard; a series of arms on said upper casing; a rod mounted on each arm and having a finger at its outer end;

an arm on the inner end of each r'od; aslotted disk in said upper casing adapted to be directly engaged and turned by said arm when a thread becomes abnormally taut; a trip spindle spacved apart from and substantially parallel with said upper standard; a lever on said trip spindle; a pin on said slotted disk engaging said trip spindle lever; and a lever on said trip spindle adapted, to engage the said controlling latch in said lower casing.

FRANK CRAWFORD, SR. 

